Why We Shouldn't Be Together
by RicardianScholar Clark-Weasley
Summary: AU of Frozer. Ladybug calls Chat Noir out on his bratty behaviour about her rejection while Adrien can't shake off the feeling that he's lost something for good.


Chat Noir couldn't believe Ladybug sometimes.

Here they were, the first time since she had so cruelly rejected his rose, and she was acting like _nothing_ had happened. He instinctively bristled with indignation, hurt, and a need to suddenly lash out.

He let out a haughty sniff.

"My feline instincts prefer to track and observe before I attack," he slid down the roof with his head held up high with pride, "you go your way, I'll go mine."

He couldn't see her face but he imagined she was either taken back and on the verge of panicking of being away from him (he _wishes_!) or was shooting him one of her more exasperated, annoyed, glares (most likely).

" _Please_ don't tell me that you're mad about the rose!" Ladybug cried out disbelievingly.

He glanced back at her with his best snooty look. "There might be a certain _chill_ now between us," he replied frostily.

Her blank bewildered face melted away and, much to Chat Noir's horror, the most furious and disgusted scowl etched deeper and deeper into Ladybug's pretty face. Her eyes were filled with so much revulsion that Chat Noir could almost believe that the ice-themed Akuma somehow turned him into a slug.

"Are you _fucking kidding_ me?!" Ladybug breathed out. "You...You...You...spoiled little _brat!_ " she spluttered out furiously.

" _Excuse me_?!" Chat cried out indignantly.

"You heard me!" Ladybug snapped. "You're a spoiled little brat and a self-entitled jerk, to boot!"

"I am _not!_ " Chat stomped his foot.

Which unfortunately really proved Ladybug's point as it was not the most mature and professional reaction he could have had, and that, made him feel all the more embarrassed and humiliated than he had felt earlier that week, which just made him feel even smaller and shittier than before. He felt his own rising anger simmer through his veins as he levelled Ladybug with another glare.

"You really are," Ladybug replied coldly and unimpressed, "Chat, I rejected your rose because I didn't want to lead you on. It would have been _cruel_ of me to raise your hopes when I still don't return your feelings. I tried to be nice about it but you wouldn't _let it go_!"

Chat felt smaller and smaller at each blow of Ladybug's words. She was right. It would have been so much crueller if she accepted his rose but not his heart further down the line. He could have let it slide, and be understanding, and patient, and kind, and maybe it would lead to victory.

But he was so tired of _waiting!_

 _And what did this other guy have that he didn't?!_

"Right now," Ladybug continued, "you are currently proving that you and me, as a couple, would not be a good idea."

" _What?!_ " Chat yelped. "What do you mean?!"

"Well for a start, you don't _respect_ me!" Ladybug said irritably. "You don't respect my personal space, you don't respect my feelings, and you don't respect my right to say no. You seem to view me as some _prize_ ," she spat out the word with so much disgust that Chat had to take a couple steps back to avoid the spittle, "that you are entitled to. You always ignore my feelings on the matter! It's as if my words just go through one ear and out of the other."

"I...I...I..." Chat stammered out uselessly, "I don't...I mean...I..."

Had he really been ignoring her feelings all this time? Had he really been deliberately and rudely over-stepping his boundaries and making unwanted advances? He hadn't realised how his wooing would be perceived as something so selfish and mean. He had thought he had been romantic and amusing and sweet.

 _Marinette_ had said he was sweet.

When did he stop being so sweet and started becoming _spoiled_?

"Do you know," Ladybug carried on, "what I did today?"

Chat Noir shook his head wordlessly.

"I went on a date with the boy I'm in love with." Chat felt like he had just been sucker punched by the strongest Akuma wearing a metal boxing glove. It _**hurt**_. It hurt so much that he couldn't _breathe!_ Ladybug, however, didn't look happy at all. Her eyes shimmered with something akin to tears. "But I didn't go as his date," she said a little roughly as if she was fighting back the urge to sob, "I went as his _wing-man_ to help him with another girl."

" _Why?_ " Chat breathed out. "Why would you do that to yourself?"

"Because I _love_ him and I want him to be happy," Ladybug replied simply, "I respect that he doesn't return my feelings and treasure the friendship we have instead. And don't get me wrong," she looked a little ashamed and sheepish, "I'm no saint. I let a couple nasty things slip out, I called her an ice queen and said he should let her fall, but I did my best to reign in my feelings and put his first because that was the _right thing_ to do."

Chat was in awe of his Lady all over again as he felt a surge of affection and admiration rise over him, making his cheeks flush and his heart somersault. She was so selfless, and kind, and heroic, and he loved her all the more for it.

Ladybug held her head up high and proud as she met his eyes head on with a steely glint in her own.

"My point being is that I respect his right to say no," she said calmly, "I'm not in love with you Chat Noir but I do love you as a friend. But, the thing is, if you keep acting like this self-entitled spoiled brat when I say no and not respecting my wishes, then you're going to lose that too."

Chat felt that all of his breath had been stolen away at that.

He couldn't lose her.

Even if he never have her in his life romantically he could live as long as he had her by his side. Without her smiles, her heroics, her kindness, and her trust and friendship, his life would be so much duller and more confining than before.

He _needed_ her!

"And furthermore," Ladybug crossed her arms and scowled darkly, "you have the sheer audacity to bring this up and act like a sulky prick during an _Akuma attack_! Paris is being turned into an _ice age apocalypse_ and you're too busy throwing a tantrum like a toddler to help stop the Akuma – _**again**_ , I might add! I let it slide the last time because I felt guilty but _goddammit, Chat_! If this is your attitude when we're _not_ in a relationship I would hate to see that state of Paris if we were together!"

Chat flushed with shame at that.

She was right.

He was not being a romantic hero whatsoever here. He was acting like some sulky brat throwing a tantrum because his father wouldn't let him have a toy he wanted. All the while innocent people suffered on his watch.

He was nowhere near worthy of his Lady's hand.

"You're right," he whispered, "I've behaved with appalling immaturity and a lack of professionalism. I'm sorry my Lady, please forgive me for my lack of respect. I promise it won't happen again."

She nodded in acceptance of his apology. "Thank you," she murmured, "now then, let's stop this Akuma before all of Paris dies of frostbite."

And with that they quickly, quietly, and effectively dealt with the Akuma and before he knew it he was once again Adrien Agreste saying goodbye to Kagami as she was about to get into her car. She looked at him with a quiet and serene form of fondness that made his throat close up and his stomach fall out to the floor in sheer shame.

He had so callously used Kagami in a stupid, illogical, attempt to somehow make Ladybug jealous. When did he become so pathetic and petty that he would use other people for a useless venture that will get him nowhere? Ladybug would never know about Kagami because she doesn't know Adrien is Chat Noir. And she will never know he is Chat Noir because she isn't _interested._

"I had fun," Kagami smiled shyly, "I would like to do this again some time."

Adrien felt his stomach turn at that, and not in a good way that Ladybug's smiles would cause, but a rather nauseating, sickening, way like when Chloe's perfume clogged up his synapsis.

He had been leading Kagami on!

Just as Ladybug refused to do to him.

Ladybug had been cruel to be kind, and now he must do the same.

"Kagami," he mumbled, "I'm really sorry but I don't think there'll be another time. I think...I think I need to learn that some victories are worth the wait, and I should be patient and slow instead of rushing into things."

Kagami's soft smile vanished in an instant as her entire demeanour froze over. He couldn't fathom what was going on in her mind as her eyes shut down in an eerily similar fashion to his father's whenever his mother was mentioned. He could guess though. There's no doubt he had hurt her as he had been hurt.

"I see," she said icily as she shot a particularly venomous glare over Adrien's shoulder, "you know _**she**_ won't say yes, don't you?"

"For now," Adrien sighed, "but you never know what the future will hold."

Kagami sniffed disdainfully. "Well I do know one thing," she said haughtily, "you will have to find yourself a new sparring partner."

and on that sour note, she slammed the car door shut. Adrien barely jerked his fingers out of the way before the door thumped into place. He staggered back warily as Kagami gave him one last cold stare as her car drove off into the sunset.

Adrien sighed heavily.

Today was a day of mistakes and he needed a friend to talk to. He turned round eagerly, hoping to get Marinette to let him drive her home so he could talk to her and get her sage advice on what to-

...his hope died an immediate death at the sight of Marinette and Luka. Marinette looked radiant, there was no other words to describe it, as she literally _glowed_ as she smiled up at Luka with a hesitant, sweet, hope that she used to stare at _him_ with.

For some reason Ladybug's words niggled and nagged at him. He couldn't put his finger on it but there was something she said that bothered him the most. ... _said he should let her fall._ He shook his head unable to grasp hold to what it was exactly. But it made his stomach feel like it was made of lead as he couldn't quite shake the feeling that he lost something precious forever.

And it wasn't Ladybug or Kagami.


End file.
